Albert V, Klein D, Noble A, Zahand E, Holtby S
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, School of Social Work, 89154-5032, USA.
Child Abuse Negl. 2000 Feb;24(2):173-83. doi: 10.1016/s0145-2134(99)00126-x.
The major objective was to determine how and the extent to which SB2669, which requires the identification of substance abusing delivering women, affected the number of children reported for abuse or neglect in several California counties.
A monthly time-series model from April 1988 to December 1995 was constructed. The idea underlying the model was that month-to-month changes in the number of child maltreatment reports was a response to the presence of SB2669 in addition to various demographic, social, and economic factors. By separately estimating each county's number of reports, it was assumed that SB2669 did not necessarily affect each county's reports by the same amount, perhaps partially because of different counties' implementation strategies or general policies. Our sampling size consisted of seven high prevalence counties.
The results suggest that the effects of SB2669 on the number of child maltreatment reports are mixed. On an aggregate level, all else constant, and at least for a few years after the passage of SB2669, SB2669 is associated with a decrease in child maltreatment reports in two of the participating counties. This decrease may be due to conscientious implementation of the legislation in these counties. This mixed finding is expected mainly because SB2669, although mandated, was never enforced. Moreover, from the process component of the study we learned that the implementation practices of this legislation vary substantially between and even within counties' hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS/FUTURE DIRECTIONS: A decrease in maltreatment reports in the presence of SB2669 is not necessarily the most desirable outcome in the light of what we know about the relationship between substance abuse and child maltreatment. Law makers need to rethink the purpose of the law and provide the necessary language, tools and training to ensure that the goals of identifying substance abusing mothers and their families are met. Provisions also need to be made that somehow enforce this legislation. These provisions could lessen county-level and hospital-level variability in implementing the law.
主要目的是确定要求识别药物滥用分娩妇女的SB2669如何以及在何种程度上影响加利福尼亚州几个县报告的虐待或忽视儿童的数量。
构建了一个从1988年4月至1995年12月的月度时间序列模型。该模型的基本思想是，除了各种人口、社会和经济因素外，虐待儿童报告数量的逐月变化是对SB2669存在的一种反应。通过分别估计每个县的报告数量，假设SB2669不一定以相同的程度影响每个县的报告，这可能部分是由于不同县的实施策略或总体政策。我们的样本量包括七个高患病率县。
结果表明，SB2669对虐待儿童报告数量的影响是复杂的。总体而言，在其他条件不变的情况下，至少在SB2669通过后的几年里，SB2669与两个参与县的虐待儿童报告数量减少有关。这种减少可能是由于这些县认真执行了该立法。这种复杂的结果主要是因为SB2669虽然是强制性的，但从未得到执行。此外，从研究的过程部分我们了解到，该立法的实施做法在不同县甚至县内医院之间都有很大差异。
结论/未来方向：鉴于我们对药物滥用与虐待儿童之间关系的了解，在有SB2669的情况下虐待报告数量的减少不一定是最理想的结果。立法者需要重新思考该法律的目的，并提供必要的措辞、工具和培训，以确保实现识别药物滥用母亲及其家庭的目标。还需要做出规定，以某种方式执行该立法。这些规定可以减少县一级和医院一级在执行法律方面的差异。
